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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28035954">I just want to dance with you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsAWonderfulLife/pseuds/ItsAWonderfulLife'>ItsAWonderfulLife</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Merthur - Freeform, Movie Night, One Shot, TW for crying I guess, The Prom 2020, The prom, dancing in the kitchen like dramatic little shits, they can't dance though</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:56:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28035954</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsAWonderfulLife/pseuds/ItsAWonderfulLife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Arthur watch The Prom. Then they dance in the kitchen and some emotions happen.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I just want to dance with you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi yes this is my first work ever, please be kind. So much love. &lt;3</p><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own BBC Merlin, sadly.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Are you crying?” Merlin asked tentatively, trying to push Arthur far enough away to see his face. Sniffling indignantly, Arthur shifted slightly from where he had been curled up on the sofa at Merlin’s side. “Of course not. You’re the girl here, remember? It was just a musical. Just a stupid musical.” He took a deep breath and his eyes, which had flashed momentarily with a hidden vulnerability, revealing more sadness than normal, hardened once more into his nonchalant façade. Merlin sighed, and got up to load the dishwasher with their empty mugs and dinner plates, brushing silently past Arthur. </p><p>He didn’t understand it sometimes. They had been together for three years now, and had danced around each other for four before that. They had fumbled their way through coming out to each other in the first year of university, and had become best friends before they became lovers. Hell, he even had a ring hidden in his coat pocket, which he was decidedly not being a coward about thank you very much Gwaine. Sometimes he thought he knew everything there was to know about his boyfriend, sometimes he thought Arthur had finally decided to let him in. And then there were times like this, when he would be on the precipice of some emotional revelation and would clam up instead, the way Uther had taught him to since birth. As he thought about Uther, Merlin found himself clanging around the kitchen louder than strictly necessary, but it wasn’t his fault if he hated the man. He was gone now, but he was still present in Arthur’s sense of self worth, and that made Merlin’s blood boil. So they didn’t talk about him. </p><p>He knew Arthur would let him in eventually. He always made his way back to Merlin. In his own time. When he could. And Merlin would always be there, waiting patiently. Sure enough, as he finished loading the dishwasher, there was the sound of Arthur clearing his throat from the doorway. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t a stupid musical. I know movie date night means a lot to you.” Merlin hummed noncommittally and stayed where he was, leaning against the table, staring intently at the kitchen floor. Arthur sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “I never got to.”<br/>
“What?” Merlin lifted his head, curious.<br/>
“I never got to dance. At prom. With you. We were barely even friends in school. And father-“<br/>
“Wouldn’t have allowed it.” Merlin finished for him. Arthur nodded, frowning at the floor, shuffling slightly from foot to foot. A thought struck Merlin. “Arthur, are- are you saying you want to dance with me?” A light blush spread across Arthur’s face, which was unfairly adorable really. He looked decidedly uncomfortable though, and Merlin knew he hated to ask for things when it came to emotions. He pushed away from the table, and approached his wonderful and incredibly emotionally repressed boyfriend. He held out his hand, and when Arthur looked up, a question in his eyes, he wiggled his eyebrows comically. “Dance with me?” Arthur laughed then, and it was like the sun had come out. Merlin’s heart stuttered, and he was fairly sure his breath did too, but Arthur didn’t seem to notice. He cautiously accepted the hand, and Merlin pulled him into the middle of the kitchen. </p><p>Merlin was a disaster on his feet, and he could sense the tenseness in the way Arthur was holding himself. It was incredibly awkward for a few moments, both of them unsure, and then suddenly Arthur all but collapsed into Merlin, leaning his head on his shoulder and letting him take the lead. Merlin combed gentle fingers through the golden hair next to his face, and placed a light kiss on Arthur’s forehead as they swayed aimlessly around their tiny kitchen, no music playing in the background. “I’m sorry we didn’t do this when we were in school,” Merlin said, his voice quiet and a bit choked up, “but for what it’s worth, I think I prefer us doing it now, as adults, in our apartment. I know things aren’t perfect, I know it’s been hard, stepping up and taking over the company since your dad- well, yes. And I know I can be a pain to live with, but I love you so so much, Arthur. I love our life together.”<br/>
The smile on Arthur’s face was small, but it was sweet and it was real, and it was open. “I know. I love you too. I love our life here too. I wouldn’t change anything about it, and I’m sorry I’ve been so absent this year.”<br/>
Merlin shook his head. “Arthur, your father died 8 months ago. You’re allowed to be absent. You’re allowed time.”<br/>
“I know.” Arthur mumbled into his shoulder, still swaying. Well. Shifting around. Kind of. “Thank you for this. Thank you for dancing with me. I’ve never danced with you before.”<br/>
Oh god. Oh my god he was going to say it. His brain couldn’t catch up with his mouth quick enough as he blurted, “Actually. I was hoping that you’d dance with me another time. In the future. If you want to.”<br/>
“What do you mean?” Even when he was confused, Arthur was adorable, and Merlin was so fucked.<br/>
“Um. Yes, um. Wait here.” </p><p>He couldn’t believe he was doing it now, but he let Arthur’s hands drop, rushed out of the kitchen and fell over himself to find his coat. Oh god he was doing this. Clasping the box in both hands, he came back in. Arthur was waiting for him, looking very confused. He gasped as Merlin kneeled down, his hand flying to cover his mouth. “I can’t believe I’m doing this now. It’s totally fine if you’re not ready. If you’re never ready. I’ll understand. But Arthur Pendragon, I love you with everything that I am, and I was actually wondering if you wanted to marry me? And then maybe dance? At our wedding?” Daring to look up, he saw that Arthur had tears in his eyes, and the inevitable panic set in. Oh no. Oh god. He’d rushed things and now Arthur was going to leave and-<br/>
“Yes.”<br/>
He was pulled up roughly by a single hand around his scarf. Before he knew what was happening, soft lips were pressed against his own. The kiss was surprisingly gentle and slow, a languid and lazy exchange of love pressed against each other’s lips. He could taste the salt water of tears between their mouths, but he couldn’t tell if it was from his tears or Arthur’s.<br/>
“I think The Prom might be my new favourite film,” Arthur mumbled in between kisses, and pulled him into a warm embrace.</p>
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